A Happiness Lost and Found
by JazzyCat
Summary: What had I done to have the little happiness I had wrenched from my grasp?" FUUGEN. Fuu runs away from the abusive man her mother married and meets someone in the woods whom she hopes to call a friend. His name is "Mugen". M FOR MENTIONS OF RAPE.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: In the real series, Mugen is 4 years older than Fuu, who's 15 (making him 19, for those who are too lazy to do math). But in this fic, he's the same age. I just thought it seemed better if he was 15 or 16. Just feels right. Anyway, please enjoy, review, etc. This is my first time writing for S.C., so please don't be to harsh.**

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I was living a good life. I had nothing to complain about. I lived with my mother in a little village, where she and I both worked. I was a waitress in a teahouse, and she was a tutor to the village children. Both respectable jobs, and neither of us had had to stoop to working in a brothel.

I'd never known my father, or, if I did, I couldn't remember him. He'd left when I was young. My mother told me he was dead, but I'd known her since the day I was born; I could tell when she was lying.

It was a small family; just my mother and I. But we were happy. I didn't have any friends, but I didn't care. All needed was my mother. We were happy, just the two of us.

I was living a good life.

Until _he_ came along. I mean my mother's husband. My stepfather. That kind of thing was a rarity, because once you married, you were married. A woman couldn't leave her husband, but a husband could leave his wife. But, truth be told, my parents had never married. I was born out of wedlock, and therefore, this was my mother's first husband.

It started out as a nice little thing, and even though I never really accepted him (he wasn't my father, so I wasn't going to treat him like he was) I didn't _disapprove_ or anything. For the first few months, he was really into courting my mother. Like, with flowers and gifts and all that, but once she'd agreed to marry him, things started to change. He wasn't as nice as he first seemed. And once they got married?

Yeah, then I knew. First impressions are often wrong, but this was one _huge_ misinterpretation.

Sweet on the outside, rotten to the core. Whenever my mother wasn't around, he was a total nut job. He was angry and violent, and he drank a lot, and a few times, he even hit me. It seemed he liked that, because he kept doing it, more and more often, but only when my mother wasn't around. I tried to tell her, but she didn't believe me, going so far as to think that I just didn't like him because I was bitter about my father leaving.

Yeah, like I'd make shit up about him beating me because I hated my father. That made a lot of sense.

But this man caused my perfect little family to begin to unravel. The trusting bonds we had were suddenly falling apart at the seams, and we were growing distant. It was all his fault, and she couldn't even see that.

My life was falling apart.

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**A/N: There's my preface. Hopes you likies. And yes, this will be done in Fuu's POV. The good stuff starts next chapter, I promise.  
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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: And so I proceed on to chapter 2, hoping to make this something good, as it is in my mind, and not a complete failure, as it is in my nightmares. Reviews are loved. **

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Everything started on a seemingly normal day. I woke up and my mother and her husband—I forgot to mention his name; it's Takumi—were still asleep, since they didn't go to work until later in the day. Their bed was across the room from mine, separated by a small screen that I got dressed behind. Truth be told I never felt safe, even with that screen, if he was there. But I didn't have time to be picky. I was already a little late.

I quickly threw on my usual pink kimono and tied my purple obi as I headed quietly out the door, slipping on my sandals before I left. I slid my hairpins into place and hurried down the dirt road to the teashop.

I pushed aside the flaps in the back and grabbed my tray, ready to head out and take orders, only to run into the owner. "You're late, Fuu!" He reprimanded. My stomach growled, and I pressed my arms over it to muffle the noise as I apologized for my tardiness.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I woke up a little late and I have to take time in getting ready so that I don't wake up my mother, so I was late, and even though I ran here, I didn't make it in time, and—" he cut me off with a sympathetic smile, knowing that I'd skipped breakfast to get here in a hurry. He knew my family well, which is how I got my job, so he knew I wasn't a liar.

"Just get out there, and don't be late again!" He said fondly. I'd thought for sure I'd be fired, so I was almost crying in gratitude. He just sent me off, though, since I was his only waitress. And I was doubly lucky, since it was a slow morning in the teahouse.

I was just about to sit and rest from my run when someone came in, and I jumped up, standing at attention. I gave them their space as they chose a seat before gliding over to their table to take their order.

I smiled at the familiarity of the situation. Work was so consistent. It made me feel at home. I loved work, because there, unlike my own house, I felt safe.

"May I take your order, sir?"

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I almost always ended up walking home with a blush on my face, desperately wishing that it would fade before I got home. I'd never really thought of myself as pretty—let alone beautiful—so hearing someone say that to me was always embarrassing. I mean, I might be cute, but _beautiful_…

In all honesty, I usually received a few confessions a week. Most of them came from older men, but quite a few were from boys my age, asking for a date. I denied them all, of course, since I had no time for frivolities like that, but still, it was nice to know I was wanted.

I wonder if it's the pink. Maybe that's what makes me look pretty. Maybe it rings out my cheeks or something.

But anyway, I rubbed at my cheeks furiously before realizing that did nothing but make my face even pinker as I replayed the events over and over in my head.

_I'd just served a large group of travelers their tea and I was headed back to the kitchen for their dumplings and some sake for another table. I passed a man that had just sat down and figured I could stop and take their order while I was there. _

_"What can I get you sir?" I asked cheerfully, putting on my smile. He looked thoughtful, staring up at the menu painted on the little pieces of wood on the walls. _

_"I'll have…you." I suddenly felt my hand being pulled and the man was holding it in his own. _

_"Um…"_

_"Please, allow me to—"_

_"No, thank you." I took my hand back and hurried into the kitchen. I came back out, served the others, and turned back to take his order seriously this time, but he was persistent. _

_"You are a beautiful one. Won't you please reconsider?"_

I have to admit, he was really polite, and he didn't seem like a pervert, so I almost thought it through, but my mind kept flashing back to my mother and I had to turn him down again. I explained that I had to work to keep my family out of the poorhouse, though, and he said he understood, and left.

He muttered something under his breath as he left, and I think he said he'd be back. I don't even remember his name.

But I still got all red in the face from being called beautiful. And it didn't help that I kept thinking about it. I was trying to get my blush to go away, not make it worse.

That day's earnings were in my purse, tucked under my obi, and I was reminded by the weight that I had to buy and make dinner that night. Sighing—I was exhausted—I headed off to buy some rice and meat.

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"That's really expensive!" I exclaimed as the vendor named his price. It would only feed us for one day, and it would eat up half my wages. I grumbled and forked over the money, taking my bag of groceries and starting home, slouching all the while. I wasn't listening to anyone in particular, like I usually did (for the gossip, y'know) but something someone said made my ears perk up.

"What? Another rape?"

"Not so loud!" The two voices lowered before the first spoke again.

"Where? When? Who?"

"It was on the edge of town yesterday. Poor little Sachiko, she'll never be the same again." Suddenly, a third voice joined the conversation.

"But have they caught the guys yet? Don't they even have a clue?"

"None at all." My knees pressed together and I shuddered at the thought. So far, that had made four this month alone. I only prayed I wouldn't become one of the numbers that the serial rapist had been accumulating.

I got over my fit of shivers and ran the rest of the way home.

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**A/N: I know I promised the good stuff would be coming this chapter, but I guess I lied. Sorry it's so short, also.  
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